The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-03
RAIL NAY MAIL AGENTS.
The Meager Salary Paid Them for Arduous
and Trying Work.

4 and Trying Work.
Many seek appointment under the
impression that the position of railway
postal clerk is ''soft snap" but ON
having their eyes opened to the really
ardu ous duties that await them and the
meager salary attached they resign in
disgust to seek easier and more fruitful
occupations. The position, if the app:i-
cant fulfill the requirements of the
service. becomes easy to certain de-
gree only after long period of hard
study and application. 1t is any thing
but a sinecure. To reach the top of the
ladder the aspirant must make up his
mind to vigorous application, and must
be possessed of reasonably good edu-
cation at the start.
As the first step he receives appoint
ment to the division in which he is
located through the influence of 20.
litical or other friends. The division
| superint endent then assigns him TO a
certain route. The examiner is notified
and the appointee is sent out on his
first trip at once. He makes an ar
rangement with an instructor. gener-
ally the one whose position he is to take
when qualified, and pays the instructor
the salary attached. At the end of fif-
teen days he is supposed to know the
''lOcal scheme" and the contents of Il
book of instructions given him at the
start fairly well. If in this division,
which comprises New York, Pennsvl-
vania, New jersey, Delaware and the
eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia,
he will be required to be ready for exam-
ination at the end of fifteen days. and
will have to appear before either the
chief examiner or his assistant.
Assuming that the appointee is q
Pennsylvania, he will receive notice
of the time set for his examination and
apply at the office in due time. The
large apartment is fitted up especially
for the purpose OF testing appointces.
The young man is first handed one hun
dred envelopes, each directed to point
on his route. no two being in the same
handwriting. He is required to read
aloud the name and full address, and
must not make ten errors if he wishes
to pass. The facility with which he
reads, his pronunciation, whether he
wears glasses-everything is quietly
noted by the examiner. He is then
questioned on the matter of instructions
and must reply correctly to ninety per
Of l,o ,,,n-41oo., ,-l,o1
not very difficult, nearly two-thirds of
the questions suggesting the answer.
He is then set before large case, ar
ranged with pigeon-holes, these repre-
senting the separations on his route,
and is handed package of cards adj
dressed to the towns comprised in his
run. Each separation represents num-
Der of towns. and the candidate must
know Just what towns are comprised in
each particular separation. This can
only he accomplished by accurately
mcmOrizing the list If he be able tn
reach ninety per cent. or over, he may
then dismiss his instructor and proceed |
on his own account. If he can not, he
must continue under guidance until he
draws salary "a probationer of $500. |
and proceeds to study up the Maryland
''scheme."
AN appointee is supposed to be ready
for second cx animation at the end of |
thirty days after passing the first.
When able to case ninety per cent. OF
Maryland he takes up New jersey or
Pennsylvania, and so on until he is
familiar with the schemes of all tie
States in the division. If capable and
he becomes expert and
makes his record" An acknowledge
ment of his ability is then placed with
the division superintendent, and the
Young man IS on the road to promotion.
He is advanced, accordingly. as posi-
tons above his own become vacant.
There are five classes of salaries-frst,
$500; second, 5000; third, 81, 900: fourth,
81. 80; fifth, $1,000. The highest salary
in local routes is $1,000, the fourth and
fifth extending into the trunk-line
service.
Many clerks never apply themselves
further than to be able to case their
particular routes. They 90 through ex-
after examination and are
unable to reach ninety per cent. on
Maryland. These are the clerks t;at
DESTROYS of rewar,liEg
friends. are looking for, for if they have
made no record they are liable to be
called upon to step out at any time. 1t
will readily be seen that the work is OF
/ character TO discourage those looking
or easy jobs with big salaries. A
arge percentage of apprentices become
ired after the first trip and resign, so
hat the old hand is sometimes kept ut
work for months before a capable and
Wiling applicant comes along.-PAiLG-
IeLphiG Record.
How Hawks and Owls Eat.
Captain Tom Langston. who is one
# Atlanta's most enthusiastic sports
men, says: did You ever notice Il hawk